South Africa 1954 penny

Stack's Bowers November 2022 Collectors Choice sale, lot 75665

from the Mountain Groan Collection

The first specimen was lot 75665 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $168. The catalog description^[1] noted, "SOUTH AFRICA. Penny, 1954. Pretoria Mint. Elizabeth II. PCGS PROOF-67 Red Brown. Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Mintage of 3,150 pieces in Proof. Deep coral blue and champagne red colors to be seen." This type was issued 1953-60 along with a bronze farthing (KM 44) and half penny (KM 45). It is common. In 1960, South Africa seceded from the Commonwealth and Elizabeth's portrait was removed from the coinage.

Recorded mintage: 6,665,000 plus 3,150 proofs.

Specification: 9.5 g, bronze, 30.8 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM-46.

Source:

• Hern, Brian, John Bothma and Hercie Pieterse, Hern's Handbook on South African Coins & Patterns, Ferndale, South Africa, 2013.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The November 2022 Collectors Choice Ancient & World Coins Auction, Featuring the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.

Link to:

• 1953 penny
• 1954 farthing
• 1954 half penny
• 1954 2½ shillings
• 1954 5 shillings
• 1954 ½ pound
• 1954 pound
• 1955 penny
• Coins and currency dated 1954